[jant71]

If constructed from the ground up dynamics can cost more than adapting some Knowles armatures can. Apple can have dual a armature based phone for $79 and futuresonics can have a dynamic driver phone for $650. And in the the only things that really matter are SQ and build quality.

 

[toughnut]

What's more important, imho, is the technology implemented behind the whole design. This will determined the SQ and build quality.

Wanna get this but price too steep in US... no middleman available in Europe...

 

[EyeAmEye]

I have UE11, FreQ, Alien Ears C3 and Sleek Custom, so if anyone would like to buy me the IE8, I'd be more than willing to compare! You guys can even pool some cash together and buy me the IE8, doesn't matter how it's done...really...

 

[jinx20001]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Possum /img/forum/go_quote.gif Does it really matter if the sound from the IE8 is preferred?

ofcourse it dont matter, but i was referring to the pricing, the se530 incorporate more technology, brains and no doubt time, hence they cost a bit more

 

[jinx20001]

Quote:

Originally Posted by EyeAmEye /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have UE11, FreQ, Alien Ears C3 and Sleek Custom, so if anyone would like to buy me the IE8, I'd be more than willing to compare! You guys can even pool some cash together and buy me the IE8, doesn't matter how it's done...really...

hey how about you compare what you have got with some pics also and that would give us all a good read, im sure theres many in here that would love to see how you rate the sleek custome against ue11 for example

 

[EyeAmEye]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jinx20001 /img/forum/go_quote.gif hey how about you compare what you have got with some pics also and that would give us all a good read, im sure theres many in here that would love to see how you rate the sleek custome against ue11 for example

Already did on the hearyourself thread, without pics, however.

No where near as eloquent as Duncan's IE8 review or many others on Head-Fi:
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f103/h...ml#post4906707

 

[jinx20001]

Quote:

Originally Posted by EyeAmEye /img/forum/go_quote.gif Already did on the hearyourself thread, without pics, however.

oh cool ill go have a read

 

[Possum]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jinx20001 /img/forum/go_quote.gif ofcourse it dont matter, but i was referring to the pricing, the se530 incorporate more technology, brains and no doubt time, hence they cost a bit more

That's interesting. Can you share what particular information you have about the Shure SE530 design and development compared to the Sennheiser IE8 design development? Your posts suggest that you have some special knowledge about the R&D details.

 

[jinx20001]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Possum /img/forum/go_quote.gif That's interesting. Can you share what particular information you have about the Shure SE530 design and development compared to the Sennheiser IE8 design development? Your posts suggest that you have some special knowledge about the R&D details.

well its simple really the se530 uses balanced armature drivers, typically more detailed but lacking warmth (commonly used in hearing aids for sensitivity and precision.) now shure incorporated 3 of these in each earpeice along with a crossover in each earpeice to seperate the frequency range.

Along with this procedure they have used balanced armatures that are designed with a little hole in them to produce more precise and depth in the bass as this is commonly a downside of ordinary armatures (jay's also uses similar armatures for the q-jays) there is also a sort of hardened foam material around the armatures to protect them from shocks and keep them from shifting about, although me saying its foam is a guess, thats just what it looks like.

along with this they use a formulated filter to shape the sound to thier liking and precision, and for the actual earphone housing they use plastic that has gone through something called vacuum metalised deposition ( i dunno about you but that sounds clever ) probably just posh words for hardened plastic. so thats what i know about the shure se530, what do you know about the IE8 that puts it on the same difficulty scale as the se530??

now i dont know much about the IE8 construction but a single dynamic driver (granted...i guess its a good one) seems a little less complicated than what ive just explained is incorporated into the shure design.

i should point out all of this information is very easy to get and if you looked into the design of the phones more its easy to see the differences and what uses more technology, i mean come on, more doesnt mean better but all i was saying is maybe thats why the shure costs more

now let me point out i didnt say the shure is better or worse than the IE8 i just said the shure design would suggest why its more expensive as its clear not only is more technology used but it has to be put together right which isnt easy im guessing. The IE8 im sure has some clever design and intuition also but its still a single dynamic driver which common sense would say is cheaper than 3 armatures and a crossover.

oh, no hard feelings, you did ask tho

EDIT: by the way its not special knowledge of mine as you suggest its just i look into what im buying and find out why im paying so much. i feel sorry for guys buying expensive earphones and not having a clue why they cost so much.

 

[jinx20001]

Quote:

Originally Posted by EyeAmEye /img/forum/go_quote.gif Already did on the hearyourself thread, without pics, however. No where near as eloquent as Duncan's IE8 review or many others on Head-Fi: http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f103/h...ml#post4906707

thanks for the link, it proved an interesting read and some good insight, cheers

 

[Cool_Torpedo]

So just a wild guess based on assumptions...

The only truth in all that, and just a partial one, is that armature drivers are more efficient, that's why they're used in hearing aids, because you need high SPL and not a huge consumption of batteries. It's not that they are more resolving or detailed, just pump out as sound slighter voltage changes in the signal, but they have more distortion and are less linear, which some people perceive as detail.

The Shures are more "complicated" for using several drivers and having to include a crossover. But we still don't know how good, evolved and truly full range is the dynamic driver into the IE8. FWIW an armature driver is cheaper and easier to produce than a traditional dynamic one.

Summing up, I wouldn't dare to say the Shures, UE or Westone have more R&D and are more difficult to produce than any good dynamic IEM like the Senn IE or Sony 700 for that matter.

 

[jinx20001]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cool_Torpedo /img/forum/go_quote.gif So just a wild guess based on assumptions... The only truth in all that, and just a partial one, is that armature drivers are more efficient, that's why they're used in hearing aids, because you need high SPL and not a huge consumption of batteries. It's not that they are more resolving or detailed, just pump out as sound slighter voltage changes in the signal, but they have more distortion and are less linear, which some people perceive as detail. The Shures are more "complicated" for using several drivers and having to include a crossover. But we still don't know how good, evolved and truly full range is the dynamic driver into the IE8. FWIW an armature driver is cheaper and easier to produce than a traditional dynamic one. Summing up, I wouldn't dare to say the Shures, UE or Westone have more R&D and are more difficult to produce than any good dynamic IEM like the Senn IE or Sony 700 for that matter.

i did mention sensitivity, which is on the same line as efficiency, easy to drive at good volume. and you were complimenting me without meaning to then because my whole point was the shure is more complicated.

like i said i never said the se530 is better, just more complicated and probably more expensive because of that.

and im saying the shures are more difficult because the amount of components used and putting them together as one would forsably seem more complicated.

EDIT: why was i guessing based on assumptions, i never assumed anything, i was reading the facts. the facts say the shure se530 uses 6 drivers and 2 crossovers in total and the IE8 uses 2 drivers in total, now yeh your right i am GUESSING this is more complicated on shures behalf, but who wouldnt guess that going by the facts

oh and yes armatures are cheap but not traditional dynamic driver cheap lol were talking about paper being vibrated here, armatures are more complicated using pins and a magnet to exert force, i think you will find armatures are more expensive to produce, although there are very cheap poorly constructed ones out there, its very difficult to keep the armature balanced, hence the reason for good and bad ones

 

[Possum]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jinx20001 /img/forum/go_quote.gif EDIT: why was i guessing based on assumptions, i never assumed anything, i was reading the facts. the facts say the shure se530 uses 6 drivers and 2 crossovers in total and the IE8 uses 2 drivers in total, now yeh your right i am GUESSING this is more complicated on shures behalf, but who wouldnt guess that going by the facts

Sorry, but this looks like an assumption to me:

Quote:

ofcourse it dont matter, but i was referring to the pricing, the se530 incorporate more technology, brains and no doubt time, hence they cost a bit more

You might be right or you might be wrong, but you don't know if Sennheiser used their technology, brains, and time to determine that a dynamic driver was the way to go and design the IEM with the driver to produce a certain result.

 

[Duncan]

Anyway...

Bringing this thread back on track... i'm in no way affiliated, yet must mention the cheapest place I've seen IE8s in stock (cheaper than the price I paid...) - AskDirect - although I have no idea if they deliver overseas...

...Back on the topic of if the dynamic drivers are worth it over balanced armatures... I care not, the sound quality of the IE8 is in a word, stunning - Listening to David Gilmour's "Live in Gdansk"... Wow, such clarity and definition, even when compared to the TF10 / SE500 - who said dynamics don't have as much definition as armatures? - Not me!

 

[Duncan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by EyeAmEye /img/forum/go_quote.gif http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f103/h...ml#post4906707

EyeAmEye...

Looking at your impressions of the UE11... I so want for you to get the IE8s, by your impressions, comparing to mine of the IE8s, it could be a close run thing